In brief, my book A REASON FOR LIVING is
product of a sustained effort to answer in most enlightening and inspiring way this single question: Why live? I started to ask myself that question about thirty years ago after my diving accident, which left husky and lusty teenage athlete that I was a near quadriplegic. What had given meaning to my life until then had become largely impossible. As a result, my life seemed absurd.“Seemed” is operative word here. Many years of reflection and study have taught me that lack of meaning is always a lack of wisdom. Everything I have learned and that has turned bitter and suicidal young man that I was into a mature and serene life lover is what I impart to my reader.
Listed below are some of major points in my book:
1. There can be no contentment without acceptance of limits of reality, within which excellence and joy are possible, but not perfection and infinite happiness. Furthermore, there can be no contentment without courage to pursue excellence and joy persistently, against failures and misfortunes. That is to say, if life is to be compared to a car ride, we had better be in driver's seat and move forward at a good pace, but without haste, while steering in right direction. We are responsible for our lives, even though we do not control everything, far from it.
Above all, our minds are at our command and determine our moods. Independently of circumstances and results, contentment follows from positive thinking and positive action – though admittedly it is not possible without circumstances and results being at least favorable enough to permit thinking and action.
2. In pursuit of excellence and joy, awareness of our adaptability is paramount. Change, and sometimes extensive and traumatic change, is part and parcel of life. Fortunately, we are able to adapt to this change. That is, favorable habits we develop within relatively stable circumstances – for example eating, working, or dating habits that are conducive to our happiness – do not truly define individuals we are. What does define them so is our innate ability to acquire favorable habits whatever circumstances (provided latter are not so bad that they cannot be turned to good account). In a word, we are by nature adaptable, just as world is by nature changeable.
3. The one fact that differentiates life from infinite bliss is struggle that is required of living to achieve satisfaction, which is never complete and permanent. We can either sorrow over that fact or rejoice at it. Why rejoice? because with struggle comes merit, and merit is a joyful emotion that any valiant soul knows intimately and values immensely.
